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    Kim Chee II Restaurant

    3.8 (501 reviews)
    ModerateKorean
    Closed 10:30 am - 7:45 pm

    Kim Chee II Restaurant Photos

    Business Info

    KIM CHEE II RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Kim Chee II Restaurant

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    Huge menu
    Chez T.

    Still a solid choice with quick service and reasonable prices. However my meat Jun was not as good as I remember and I wish I had chose something else. It was very very chewy and did not taste fresh. Chicken and sides were good and still a good portion for $17. Next time I'll pass on the meat Jun and do something different.

    Meat jun and shrimp tempura
    Romyn S.

    I enjoy getting their duk ramen but they didn't have it at this time! So I got meat jun and shrimp tempura! Yum! I like the banchan that they provide, the radish one is my favorite! They were understaffed (beginning of April) so due to that reason their menu was limited. Atmosphere - Old school no frills type of place and I like it! Service - Everyone is super friendly here and works hard! Cost - Around $15 for the meat jun and shrimp tempura, which came with veggies, without tip and tax. I went with a group so this was my estimate. Parking - There's a parking lot for all these restaurants, it's a paid one but it's not so much. I think whenever we're there, it's like around $3. You can do street parking as well, it's mostly metered street parking. Location - It's in a plaza of restaurants - there's a thai place, Moke's is in the same area. A go to!

    Justin H.

    One of the best lunch spot to go to. The kalbi has a very juicy taste. The meat is very soft , all the side dishes has very authentic Korean taste. Service is best here too. Nice and clean restaurant

    Christina N.

    Came here twice and the first time they were doing take out only. We managed to get a sit down table the second time and enjoyed our food. We got the kalbi and meat Jun. Portions were big and it was tasty. It's a decent place if you're in the area but I probably wouldn't make a trip just to eat here

    It's the trio lunch special of BBQ Beef and Chicken with Fried Mandu and side Mac Salad.

    I'm from Kaneohe and have always dined at Kim Chee 1, but they are no more. I have retired and moved to the Mainland but come home whenever I can. Figured I'd give Kim Chee ll a shot and they are just as good as the OG in Kaneohe!! You will need to pay for parking in the lot adjacent to several other shops/restaurants but it was all of 75 cents for the first hour. I ordered a takeout of the Trio Lunch special, consisting of three choices. I went with BBQ Beef and Chicken, Fried Mind side Mac Salad please. Of course your Banchan is included, not much though, so if you're sharing with someone else, order a side of "Vegetables" and you'll have plenty for two of you. My bill with tax was $22.93. Not bad for Hawaii. Would I recommend Kim Chee ll? YES!!!! Mind you now, I came in from the back door, as you would with many "Mom & Pop" type places. It's a bit, ummmm, off putting, but again this is Hawaii and not every little thing is perfect. Once you get inside, get settled and place your order, it's fine. The food came out mighty quick too. I was offered water while I waited but it was really that fast. I say get yourself there and try it out. You want be sorry that you did.

    Out front
    Thalya C.

    Overall, it was a 3.5/5. This is definitely a local spot for a with a good lunch special. The portions are larger and you will most likely have leftovers but it's a really good size for what you're paying. Looking for some quick and good priced Korean food during the day, this is the spot! The vibe is definitely casual so come as you are and be ready to eat!

    The sweet waitress got us this big bowl of soup when I mentioned my kids love it :)
    Kira K.

    This place has been around forever, and yet I've always told myself I'll try it out.. but I keep forgetting LOL. Well, today, I finally got to try this place out We went for dinner on a Friday night and the place was quite packed.. we waited for about 5-10 min which wasn't bad. When we got seated, I really liked the nostalgic old school local diner feel this place had :) the big booths were comfortable and we have 2 young kids so it was nice that they had room to sprawl out in the booth When ordering, I asked if I could order sides of seaweed soup since my kids love it, but the sweet waitress said it's free and to make it easier, she will bring the seaweed soup out in a huge bowl so I can keep serving them some :) I got the Small Bone Special which included 2 pieces of kalbi, and 2 other entrees of your choice (from the choices listed on the menu) - I chose the fish Jun and meat jun BANCHAN: we had pickled kimchi cabbage, burdock Kim chi, Mac salad (that had purple sweet potato in it), regular pickled cabbage, bean sprouts, and seaweed. All were good (though if they had the shoyu potatoes or fish cake, that would have really been the icing on the cake!) SMALL BONE SPECIAL: ($23): the kalbi was tender and delicious! Perfectly marinated :) I was sure to eat that up first lol. Upon looking at my plate, I was surprised to see how thick the meat jun and fish jun were! The fish Jun was meaty and delicious, and their meat jun sauce is yummy. While my first meat jun was okay, unfortunately, the others were not only thick, but extremely chewy where I had to spit a lot of it out. The meat jun was the only downside of our meal (which is a shame because meat jun is usually my favorite) I did get to try some of my husband's food (he got a combo of shrimp tempura, chicken katsu, and fish jun) - and his chicken katsu was perfectly cooked and tender Although their meat jun was disappointing and service was a bit slow, service was friendly and the portions are extremely generous considering the prices (especially with how everything is usually crazy expensive nowadays) - so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and giving them 5 stars anyways. We will definitely be back as the portions and prices are very good!

    Menu 11/2/25 (1 of 2)
    Jo Y.

    After immigrating to HI, Henry and Rose Chun opened Kim Chee 2 Restaurant in 1977. The prominent Chun family opened a series of Korean restaurants named Kim Chee and differentiated by a number. The four Kim Chee restaurants still operating today are Kim Chee I in Kaneohe, Kim Chee 2 in Kaimuki, Kim Chee 7 in Aiea, and Kim Chee 9 on Kauai. This review is for Kim Chee 2 in Kaimuki. With Henry Chun's passing in 2014, son Jimmy Chun took over Kim Chee 2 until his passing in 2021. Jimmy's three children, Nick, Faith, and Leila took over the restaurant after growing up working in the restaurant, just like their dad, Jimmy. Nick is the overall manager. Kim Chee 2 offers the typical Korean bbq meats (LA short rib, big bone short rib, bulgogi, bbq pork), chicken, fried mandoo, fried rice, tonkatsu, meat jun, bi bim bap, bi bim kook soo, chap chae, chicken tofu, fish jun, spicy pork, and shrimp tempura. Lunch/dinner specials and combos use a variation of these dishes. The restaurant, known for its bbq items, also serves butterfish, squid, zucchini jun, and soups. The dishes are served with veggies (bean sprouts, bean sprouts, and pickled cabbage) and rice. Banchan of kim chee and pickled turnip are also served. Original family recipes are used. Note that their menu offerings are not authentic Korean cuisine, but instead adapted to local tastes; so, you won't find any Korean nationals here speaking Korean, but instead generational local folks who have grown up with this restaurant. There's also a good chance that meat jun was invented here, as you will not find this dish in Korea. We ordered the following: * Mixed plate. This consisted of a large bone bbq short rib, bulgogi, bbq chicken, fried mandoo. This was a nice assortment of their meats, and all were tasty from the different marinades that were used prior to grilling. Loved the charring, and the tenderness of the meats. I especially loved the big bone kalbi with its perfect yummy taste after grilling! * Combo of shrimp tempura and meat jun. The shrimp tempura is the bready style, but yet there was crispiness on the outside. The meat jun's egg batter was very soft and fluffy that did not separate from the meat. Perfectly done. Interestingly, there is only the gochujang sauce that is used for dipping for all meats, including the shrimp, and I did not have any problems with that. We shared the banchan of kimchee and kimchee turnip. Both dishes had beansprouts, seaweed, and pickled cabbage. We each had seaweed soup, which was piping hot and lots of seaweed in it. Portions were generous, and we had leftovers to last another meal. As we were there during off-peak hours, like about 4p, there were only a few people dining. As such, customer service was excellent with prompt efficient service by friendly family members. The restaurant interior is like time has stood still. Yes, it's very dated and would not be surprised if it looked the same when it first opened. You never see an entire restaurant with entirely bluish-green vinyl booths anymore, but you'll find them here. Korean art adorns the walls, and Korean vases are displayed alongside the booths. Hours of operation are Wed to Mon 10:30a to 7:45p, closed Tues. Located up on the hill in Kaimuki next to Happy Days Chinese Restaurant, a large municipal lot is located in the back, and metered parking on Waialae Ave and surrounding streets. This family-run old-school restaurant is likely to continue its legacy in offering tasty Korean comfort food to locals in generous portions at reasonable prices. We look forward in returning whenever we have a craving our local Korean favorites! Support local!

    Bun Chong
    Kevin W.

    Kim Chee 2 one of the Top rated Korean food restaurants on Oahu. Family owned and operated. We've been patronizing them when "Uncle" was still running the register to his son Jimmy then on to Jimmy's family now running the restaurant. The quality of the food and service has always been consistently outstanding. We've sampled pretty much everything on the menu and have never been disappointed. A definite favorite and must try are their Big Bone Kalbi and BBQ Pork. Totally cravable food . Dine in or Take Out or Delivery service available.

    Side of Korean veggies that come with all meals
    Ray L.

    We can always count on Kim Chee II to cure that Korean food crave. You can find a table most anytime outside of peak weekend dinner hours. Service is quick and food quality and portions are always consistently good. Remember that they are closed on tuesdays.

    Michelle M.

    Always a yummy spot for Korean food cravings. Huge servings and enjoy the kalbi and meatjun Lots of booths great for family gatherings and menu specials to choose from Parking paid lot or if you find street parking Can't wait to return again

    3 choice katsu, kalbi and mandoo
    Caitlin C.

    The new servers are kinda junk. We were there for nearly 2 hours and it wasn't even that full. We had to remind them twice to give us WATER, we didn't even get it until about 40 mins into our wait. The couple they sat next to us got their food and water right away. The food is so nostalgic and consistent so we keep coming back. If it's your first time you might not be into it but I'll always love the food there. It never changes.

    3/29/2026 Menu prices.
    George K.

    Usually everything is awesome however today 3/29/2026 I had the lunch special take out the portion of the rice was very little maybe one scoop or less but the portion of meat was great. The only bad thing was it was to salty, 1st time ever. I come from Nanakuli to eat at this great place but today was to salty. Service is always great tho. Attached is a copy of the update prices.

    The bbq meat/chicken combo plate

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    29 days ago

    Their food is good and big. Most of time are unable to finish. We always need to pack and bring home.

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    Page 1 of 13

    Kim Chee II Restaurant Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Kim Chee II Restaurant

    Do they have Family packs for takeout?

    Yes, you can can choose items and they'll pack for you.

    Is it BYOB here?

    Yep!

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    Jagalchi - 돼지불고기 / Spicy Pork

    Jagalchi

    4.0(525 reviews)
    2.9 mi
    $$

    Came to Jagalchi on a Friday night closer to 7pm without reservations for a party of 7. We had to…read morewait around 15 minutes for a table. They have free parking in the small lot right outside their restaurant, but there is also paid parking across the street. We were lucky, and people were leaving as we got there. For 7 of us, we got the rabokki, meat jun, half order of bossam, and kimchee pancake. This was more than enough food for everyone, and we probably would have skipped the kimchee pancake next time. The food was really good, and I would definitely recommend the bossam if you're with a group. The meat is super soft and flavorful, and even the half order was a generous portion. We also ordered the lemon soju and yogurt soju pitchers. They have tablets for you to order the food, which was super convenient. The food comes out pretty quickly, and the service is friendly. Overall, would recommend here for good Korean food and fun vibes.

    I went in on a Friday evening for dinner and it wasn't busy. There is ample parking available in…read morefront of the restaurant and on the street. The restaurant gives off Korean pub vibes, decently sized, and best suited for smaller groups. We ordered a variety of food: chicken combo, kimbap, bulgogi, bossam, and spicy rice cakes. The food was very delicious. My favorite was the bulgogi because it was tender and flavorful. I also enjoyed the spicy rice cakes, but I wish they gave a bigger portion of it.. The chicken was okay, but not something I'd order again. The spicy sauce was drenched all over the chicken and was very spicy. The regular crispy chicken didn't have enough salt for me and was overcooked.

    Photos
    Jagalchi - By the time we were ready to leave, the restaurant started to get more crowded.

    By the time we were ready to leave, the restaurant started to get more crowded.

    Jagalchi - Bulgogi bibimbap

    Bulgogi bibimbap

    Jagalchi - We went early, so the restaurant was pretty empty.

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    We went early, so the restaurant was pretty empty.

    So Gong Dong Restaurant - Sundubu and meatchun combo (spicy)

    So Gong Dong Restaurant

    3.9(769 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    Yummy spot near keeaumoku Sam's Club for Korean tofu soup and other dishes! They have banchan, and…read moretheir beef and pork tofu soup is my go to. Their meat jun is good, but seafood pancake is very very breaded. A good adorable spot for Korean food. Friendly staff, and nice for a quick meal.

    If I could give this place zero stars, I absolutely would…read more The customer service was horrible from the moment we arrived. We were told the waiter was the owner, must be under a new owner and if that's true, his behavior was extremely disappointing. I would not recommend eating somewhere where you're made to feel like an inconvenience. My soon do bu tofu soup was literally thrown onto the table, causing some of it to spilt over on the side. We were not given enough chopsticks, and when we asked for straws because the ones we had broke, his attitude became even worse. He started slamming things around, and when we tried to get his attention, he clearly heard us, laughed, said something under his breath and walked away. Thankfully, the other person working with him came over and helped us. At that point, I couldn't even enjoy my food because of how uncomfortable and unwelcome we felt. I ended up asking for my food to be packed to go. The overall atmosphere felt extremely toxic, rude, and unwelcoming. What made it even more disappointing was that we were there during a time when it wasn't even busy. I will not be returning, and based on this experience, I cannot recommend this place.

    Photos
    So Gong Dong Restaurant - Inside

    Inside

    So Gong Dong Restaurant - Meat jung

    Meat jung

    So Gong Dong Restaurant

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    Kyung's Seafood - Ohh-weee FRESH FRESH FRESH POKE fR. Kyung's Seafood *9/9/23

    Kyung's Seafood

    4.4(1.1k reviews)
    3.0 mi
    $$

    One of my go-to spots for late-night ahi and Korean BBQ plates! The service is always fast and…read morefriendly, and while the banchan selection is a little limited, everything is solid. I love the BBQ chicken, meat jun, kalbi, soondubu, and especially the spicy ahi. There's such a good variety of proteins to choose from, so you'll definitely leave happy and full. If you love masago, I highly recommend getting the spicy ahi. It's one of my favorites here! The restaurant itself is pretty small, intimate, and dark, but it's perfect for a quick and casual meal. The portions and prices are also a really good value. Definitely one of those reliable spots I keep coming back to!

    We are extremely disappointed with our recent experience…read more We've been loyal customers and typically eat here twice a week whenever we're on assignment on the island in the last five years. We have also left two previous positive reviews because we've genuinely enjoyed the food and wanted to support this small business. Earlier this week, we ordered the bulgogi for our kids, but the meat was too chewy and tough making it inedible. Wanting to give the restaurant the benefit of the doubt, we ordered the bulgogi again the following day and even requested it be cooked well done. Unfortunately, it had the same too chewy and tough texture, and again, could not be eaten. After feeding the kids something else, bathing them, and putting them to bed, I called the restaurant around 10:00 p.m., but they had already closed. I called the next day, and the owner (a lady with glasses) returned my call. Instead of listening to my concerns, she repeatedly interrupted me and spoke in a passive-aggressive, dismissive manner. I was on speakerphone with four other adults in the car, and everyone commented on how unhelpful and condescending the conversation felt. I explained that I wasn't calling simply to complain - I wanted to share feedback because we genuinely care about the restaurant and have supported it for a long time. I even mentioned that I had previously provided constructive feedback about the takeout bowls, which the restaurant later improved. Before I could finish, she cut me off and said, "We're not talking about the to-go bowls right now, are we? We're talking about your bulgogi." She insisted that if I wanted a refund, I needed to return to the restaurant in person, and that if something was wrong in the future, I should come back immediately so they could remake it. Unfortunately, that's simply not realistic for us. We're staying in a hotel with two young children, and the restaurant is about 40 minutes away. By the time we discovered the problem, got the kids settled, and called, making another round trip would have meant roughly 80 minutes of additional driving with tired, hungry children. I understand that mistakes happen, and I wasn't expecting perfection. What disappointed me most was how the concern was handled. This business does not value customer feedback and will never first listen respectfully, even from repeat customers who have consistently supported and recommended them. Sadly, based on this experience with both the food quality and the customer service, we won't be returning.

    Photos
    Kyung's Seafood - Interior.

    Interior.

    Kyung's Seafood - 1LB Mama special fresh ahi (my go to) *6/1/24

    1LB Mama special fresh ahi (my go to) *6/1/24

    Kyung's Seafood - 1LB each (spicy ahi and fresh ahi mama special) ohh-wee so yummy *6/1/24

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    1LB each (spicy ahi and fresh ahi mama special) ohh-wee so yummy *6/1/24

    Kim Chee II Restaurant - korean - Updated September 2026

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